Arthurian Name Dictionary

The name Malory
once gives to the father of Tor. Torís father is usually called
Ares. [Malory]

Vadaans the Black

A large, bold,
brutal knight, promoted to the Round Table to replace Hector, who
defected to join Lancelotís company. [PostMort]

Vadalon

The brother of the
king of North Wales. He besieged Mabon Rock, ruled by King Agrippe, but
his army was destroyed when Agrippeís daughter poisoned its water
supply. In revenge, Vadalon imprisoned the girl in a set of iron bands,
which caused her extreme pain until she was freed by Sir Bors. [VulgLanc]

Vagan [Vagon]

The elderly lord
of a castle near Camelot. Vagan gave lodging to the Knights of the Round
Table, who were spending their last night together before each departed
on a different path on the Grail Quest. [VulgQuest, PostQuest,
Malory]

Vagťs

A
lady who married Arbrun, a descendant of Brutus, and had two sons named
Brun and Silhaut. Her sons were ancestors of the famous ďBrownĒ clan. [Palamedes]

Vagor

King of the
Strange Island. Vagorís son, Marabron, accused Arthurís Sir Lionel of
murder, and Vagor imprisoned Lionel until the judicial combat could be
fought. Lancelot defended Lionel and was victorious. [VulgLanc]

Valcolor (ďColorful ValleyĒ)

A vale where
Gawainís son Guinglainóthe Fair Unknownódefeated the knights William of
Salebrant, Elin of Graie, and the lord of Saie. They had attacked him
there to revenge the defeat of their lord, Bleoberis, at Guinglainís
hand. [Renaut]

Valdoan [Vadoan, Valydone, Walydeyne]

The King of
Valdoan was conquered by Lord Galehaut of Sorelois, and he participated
in Galehautís wars against King Arthur. See also Avadoan. [LancLac,
VulgLanc, Laik]

Valdone Pass

A mountain pass
near the Waste Forest, in the land owned by Percevalís mother. R. S.
Loomis (Tradition, 345) read it as Snowdon, but other scholars
have disagreed. [ChretienP, Contin4]

Valence1

A city in southern
France named in the Alliterative Morte Arthure as part of
Arthurís empire. [Allit]

Valence2

A Knight of the
Round Table. Vivien, attempting to impugn the purity of the Round Table,
recounted to Merlin a rumor which said that Valence had fathered a child
on the wife of one of his own kinsmen. Merlin denied the rumor and
defended the honor of the Round Table. [Idylls]

Valendon [Valenton]

A city near the Castle of Maidens. [Renaut]

Valentyne

A giant from
Lombardy who learned of the fame of Arthurís Sir Lanval and sought to
duel with him. He issued a challenge to Lanval, and Lanval traveled to
the city of Atalye in Lombardy to accept. During the battle, Valentyne
kept knocking Lanvalís armor to the ground, but Lanvalís servant kept
retrieving his masterís dropped equipment, allowing Lanval to eventually
kill Valentyne. Valentyneís knights sought to kill Lanval in revenge,
but Lanval slaughtered them all. [ChestreLvl]

Valerin

King of the
Tangled Wood and abductor of Guinevere in Ulrich von Zatzikhovenís
Lanzelet. After Arthur married Guinevere, Valerin challenged Arthur
for the queen, saying that she had been betrothed to him first.
Lancelot, newly arrived at Arthurís court, championed Arthur in judicial
combat against Valerin and was victorious.
Valerin
rescinded his promise to relinquish his claim to Guinevere, and he
abducted her while Arthur was hunting. Valerin brought the queen to the
Tangled Wood, where he placed an enchantment upon her that caused her to
fall into a slumber. Arthur besieged the Tangled Wood but could not
penetrate its enchantments. Finally, an intervention by the wizard
Malduc destroyed Valerinís defenses. Arthurís army swarmed into
Valerinís castle, and Valerin was killed. There are echoes of Meleagantís abduction of
Guinevere in Valerinís story. See also Gazosein. [UlrichZ]

Valfort

The duke of
Valfort was vassal of the Lady of the Blonde Hair, Arthurís paramour. [ChevPap]

Valiant

In the
Alliterative Morte Arthure, the king of Wales who served Arthur.
[Allit]

Valingues

The Count of
Valigues was the father of a lady championed by Gaheris against Guidan.
[VulgLanc]

Vallebrun

A
castle in the Brown Valley where members of the Brown Family resided. [Palamedes]

Vallet of the Circle of Gold [*Vallet
au Cercle díOr, Youth of the Golden Circle]

An Arthurian
knight mentioned in lists from at least half a dozen romances. His name
is never explained, though it may show some association with the
Circle of Gold in Perlesvaus. In Claris et Laris, he is
called a king. [ChretienE, Contin2, Claris]

Valley of Distress

A valley in the
Highlands of Hell, where the Black Hag lived in a cave. As one of his
tasks, the warrior Culhwch had to travel here and obtain the Black Hagís
blood. [Culhwch]

Valley of No Return

An enchanted vale,
also called the Valley of False Lovers, created by Morgan le Fay to
punish an unfaithful lover. The valley magically entrapped any knight
who had ever been unfaithful to his lady. The valleyís surrounding
forest was called the Forest of Misadventures, and the road leading to
it was known as the Devilís Road. Ladies could enter and depart at will.
It held some two hudnred and fifty captivesóincluding Galescalain,
Kehedin, Gaheris of Carahew, and Yvainóbefore Lancelot, who had never
been unfaithful to Guinevere, entered and broke the spell. In
retaliation, Morgan kidnapped and imprisoned Lancelot for a spell. [VulgLanc,
Livre, Prophecies]

Valltari

A vassal of
Kalegras, Tristanís father. He brought Blenzibly, Kalegrasís wife, from
England to the mortally wounded Kalegrasís bedside. [SagaTI]

Valoune

The King of
Valoune, which apparently encompassed the country of Wales, married the
daughter of the Fisher King and succeeded Perceval as the Grail King in
the Third Continuation of Perceval. [Contin3]

Vals of Sorelois

A
knight who participated in the Sorelois tournament. Rather than a proper
name, this was probably originally a surname for another knight. [ProsTris]

Valsin [Valfin]

The Count of
Valsin was the father of Beauty Without Villany, a messenger to Arthurís
court. [ChevPap]

Vambieres [Nambire(s),
Vandeberes, Wandlesbiri, Wandesborow]

A city besieged by
the Saxons or Saracens in the beginning of Arthurís reign. Vambieres was
well-defended and was surrounded by moats. The Saxons burned the city
and starved its residents but it was never captured. The siege forced
the kings in rebellion against Arthur to abandon their revolt and return
home. Arthur and his knights were involved in several skirmishes against
the Saxons outside the gates. The Saxons finally abandoned the siege to
channel their forces to the battle of Clarence, where they were
destroyed. Arthur gave the city to Yvain. [VulgMer, Livre,
Arthour, Malory]

Vamgainziers

A knight present
at the tournament of Sorgarda, which Gawain won. [Heinrich]

Vandalior

A castle in
Cornwall besieged by Saxons in the early days of Arthurís reign. [VulgMer]

Vandalis

A Saxon warrior
slain by Gawain in a skirmish at Roestoc. [VulgMer]

Vandals

One of the
barbarian Germanic tribes who attacked Rome in the fifth century,
sacking the city in 455. They also ravaged Spain and North Africa,
conquering the latter and ruling it from 439 to 534, when they were
conquered by the Byzantine Empire. The Vandals flourished in a time
contemporary to Arthur, and Jean DíOutremeuse says that Arthur
subjugated them. [Jean]

Vanoc

A young knight in
Sir Walter Scottís The Bridal of Triermain. He was killed in a
tournament, hoping to win the hand of Gyneth, Arthurís daughter. His
death prompted Merlin to end the tournament and to imprison Gyneth in a
centuries long slumber. [Scott]

Vargon

A heathen duke
who, under King Oriel, fought Kings Urien and Angusel at the battle of
Coranges. [Arthour]

Vargonche

A river near the
city of Esterbury where, at the end of a battle, Sir Sagremor killed the
Saxon King Brandague and the Irish King Margan. [VulgLanc]

Variens of Sasiaborg

One of Arthurís
kings in the Norse Erex Saga. He was present at the wedding of
Erec and Enide. [Erex]

Varlan [Hurlaine]

A king of Wales,
some time before Arthur, who went to war with the Lambor, the Grail
King. During one fierce battle, Lambor forced Varlan to flee. The latter
came across the Ship of Solomon and found the Sword with the Strange
Hangings inside it. The sword was meant for Galahad, but Varlan drew it
and used it to slay Lambor. The blow was called the Dolorous Stroke, and
it turned Wales and Listenois into the Waste Land. When Varlan returned
the sword to its sheath, he was struck dead in punishment for having
drawn it. [VulgQuest, VulgEst, Malory]

Varuch

A Syrian knight
present at the tournament of Sorgarda, which Gawain won. Found in
Heinrich von dem TŁrlinís Diu CrŰne, his name may be a variation
of the Baruch, found in Wolfram. [Heinrich]

Vaspariano

Son of a famous
knight named Guiron the Courteous. Vaspariano guarded the castle of
Crudele, at which he was slain in combat by Sir Lamorat, who had to
assume his post. [Tavola]

Vaux [Vance, Vaux]

In the
Post-Vulgate Merlin continuation and in Malory, King Rions,
Arthurís enemy, took the wife of the Duke of the Vaux (ďvalesĒ) as his
lover. While riding to visit her one night, Rions was intercepted and
abducted by the brothers Balin and Balan, who brought him to Arthur. [PostMer,
Malory]

Vawse

A lady who threw a
tournament in the forest of Arroy. Sir Marhaus, a Knight of the Round
Table, won the tournament and was awarded a circlet of gold. [Malory]

Vayns

A knight defeated
by Sir Alexander the Orphan at the castle Fair Guard. [Malory]

Venedotia

The Latin name for North Wales. Geoffrey of
Monmouth names Cadwallo Lewirh, a vassal of Arthur, as the king of the
Venedotians. [GeoffHR]

A young Tristan,
arriving in Cornwall for the first time, was directed to Markís court by
two pilgrimís from Venensarborg. [TrisSaga]

Vera

An island paradise
ruled by Arthurís Earl Masade. [Erex]

Verandi

In Norse
mythology, one of the three Fatal Sistersóthe others were Urd and
Schuldaówho presided over the past, present, and future. In Thelwallís
The Fairy of the Lake, Rowena, wife of Vortigern, seeks their
foresight during her quest to seduce Arthur. [Thelwall]

Verangoz

The heathen king
of Sorboreste, who treacherously slew King Gediens of Karedonas and
waged war on Dulceflur, Gediensí daughter. Meleranz, Arthurís nephew,
championed Dulceflur and killed Verangoz. [PleierM]

Verdoana

The lady of the
castle Aspetta Ventura in La Tavola Ritonda. She suffered from
leprosy and could only be cured by the blood of a royal virgin. In the
quest to heal her, her knights bled hundreds of virgins, most of whom
perished. She was finally cured by the blood of Agresizia, Percevalís
sister, who subsequently died. She appears in the Vulgate Queste del
Saint Graal but is unnamed. [Tavola]

Vergil

A famed Roman poet
from the first century BC. His most famous work is the epic Aeneid,
which relates the story of Aeneas as he sails from Greece and founds
Rome. The early chroniclers used material from Aeneid to form
their story of Aeneas and his son, Brutus, the founder of Britain.
Wolfram von
Eschenbach, who uses metaphors from Aeneid heavily, says that
Vergil ďof NaplesĒ was the maternal uncle of the sorcerer Clinschor,
whose enchantments challenge Gawain Parzival. Vergil was the
subject of numerous legends in the Middle Agesómost of them falseówhich
are reflected in Wolframís Clinschor character. Wolframís assertion that
Vergil was from Naples is only marginally accurate: he probably studied
in Naples, and may have written part of his Georgics there. [Wolfram]

Vergulaht [Fergulaht, Vergolaht]

King of Ascalun.
He was the son of Kingrisin and his wife Flurdamurs. Vergulahtís cousin,
Kingrimursel, accused Gawain of murdering Kingrisin and challenged him
to combat in Vergulahtís capital of Schanpfanzun. Vergulaht promised
Gawain safe passage until the battle, but became enraged when he found
his sister, Antikonie, and Gawain flirting with each other. Vergulaht
summoned his guard and attacked Gawain. Gawain fought bravely but would
have been defeated if not for the arrival of Kingrimursel, who was
furious that Vergulaht had broken his word to leave Gawain unmolested
until the combat. Kingrimurselís presence forced Vergulaht to end his
attack.
While
traveling in the forest of Lśhtamris, Vergulaht had been defeated in
combat by the Grail-seeking Perceval. As a condition of his surrender,
Perceval ordered Vergulaht to join the Grail quest. Vergulaht, as a
condition of freeing Gawain, ordered Gawain to relieve him from this
obligation by assuming the quest himself. Vergulaht and Kingrimursel
rescheduled the combat for a year later at Barbigoel, but before it
could take place, Gawain was vindicated in Kingrisinís death. [Wolfram,
PleierT]

Vermiglia

The wife of King
Amoroldo of Ireland, a friend of Tristan. She died before her husband. [Tavola]

Vermillion Knight

A common translation of the Chevalier Vermeil, the
Red Knight in Chrťtienís Perceval. [ChretienP]

Veronica [Verrine]

A woman from
Jerusalem who lent a cloth to Jesus Christ to wipe his face. Later, the
cloth was able to cure Vespasianís leprosy. When Vespasian came to
Jerusalem, Veronica told him of all those involved in Christís death so
that Vespasian could execute them. This is Saint Veronica from the
Bible. [RobertBorJ, VulgEst]

Versaria

Foster-mother of
Elyabel, Tristanís mother. Her husband was named Ferragunze. [Tavola]

Verwaine

A forest along the
Thames River in which Gawain was abducted by Lord Caradoc of the
Dolorous Tower. [VulgLanc]

Vespasian [Vaspasien(s),
Vaspasyanus, Vaspasyen(s)]

In the Grail
histories, the Emperor of Rome forty years after Christ. He is called
the son of Emperor Titus, but the historical emperor Vespasian reigned
before Titus, between AD 69 and 79. The Christian apocrypha relates how
Vespasian went to Jerusalem to avenge the death of Christ, a tale upon
which Robert de Boron and the Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal
built: While his father, Titus, was still Emperor, Vespasian suffered
from a horrible leprosy and promised riches to anyone who could cure it.
Finally, a knight from Capernaum delivered word that an object touched
by Jesus Christ might heal him; after searching for such an artifact,
Vespasian was cured by a cloth from Veronica. In gratitude, Vespasian
planned to avenge the death of Christ in Jerusalem. He traveled to
Jerusalem and executed all people who were involved in Christís death.
He learned of Joseph of Arimatheaís imprisonment and freed him. Joseph
had him baptized, and he returned to Rome. The Third Continuation of
Chrťtienís Perceval says that Vespasian brought Joseph with him
to Rome. Later, Vespasian besieged Jerusalem when it was ruled by
Agrippe.
Prior to the
Grail histories, Vespasian appears in the chronicles as a Roman general
who, under Emperor Claudius I, quelled the revolt of King Arviragus of
Britain. [GeoffHR, RobertBorJ, VulgQuest,
VulgEst, PostQuest]

Viamundus

Gawainís
foster-father. He was a poor but nobly-born fisherman living near the
city of Narbonne in Gaul. Gawainís mother had given Gawain, as a baby,
to some merchants, who docked their ship and left it unattended near
Viamundusís home. Viamundus came across the ship, found the infant and a
pile of unguarded wealth within, and helped himself to both. Finding no
way to spend his ill-gotten gains without arousing suspicion, Viamundus
eventually journeyed to Rome with the spoils, representing himself as a
noble Roman warlord from Gaul. The ruse worked, and the Roman Emperor
awarded Viamundus a manor with in the city, where he lived out his days
in relative luxury, raising Gawain to be an honorable and skillful
knight. On his deathbed, he repented to the Emperor and to Pope
Sulpicius, confessing his crime and deception. The Emperor, who had been
his friend, forgave him and buried him in a tomb among the other Roman
nobles. [DeOrtu]

Viano

A counselor to
Arthur. During Arthurís war with King Meliadus of Lyonesse, Viano
advised Arthur to have the court ladies watch over the battle, so that
the knights would fight more valiantly. [Tavola]

Viautre of Galerot

Arthurís
brother-in-law in the Didot-Perceval. His daughter, Elaine, is
named as Gawainís niece or cousin. The Vulgate Merlin mentions a
certain Neutres (Nentres)
of Garlot, who may be identical to Viautre. Neutresís wife is
named Elaine in later texts. [Didot]

Victorious Tower

The stronghold of
Caradoc the Thirteenth, a knight defeated by Tristan. Caradoc had hung
the shields of all the knights he had conquered from the towerís walls.
After his defeat, he gave the tower to Tristan, who in turn gave it to a
knight named Arpinello. [Tavola]

Videburgh [Huiteborc]

A castle in the
lands of Lord Galehaut of Sorelois. It bordered the Distant Isles. [VulgLanc]

Vinne

A city named as
part of Arthurís empire in the Alliterative Morte Arthure. [Allit]

Vilin

A city in Ireland
that served as King Amoroldoís capital. [Tavola]

Violet the Bold

One of many ladies
at King Arthurís court to fail a chastity test involving a magic goblet.
[Heinrich]

Virgin Knights

Three of Arthurís
warriors mentioned in Welsh legend (adapted from French romances) who
drew their power from their purity. These were Bwrt, Peredur, and
Galath, who correspond to Bors, Perceval, and Galahad of the Grail
romances. [Triads]

Virgý of Logres

A knight-captain
in Arthurís service who led Arthurís soldiers at the siege of Tintagel
against King Mark of Cornwall. [Tavola]

Vistamara

Tristanís sword in
La Tavola Ritonda, called the best sword in the world. [Tavola]

Viterbo

An Italian city
that was one of many to surrender and send tribute to King Arthur after
he had captured the city of Rome. [Allit, Malory]

Viviane [Viviana, Vivien]

The proper name of
the Lady of the Lake in the Vulgate Merlin. It is a variation of
Ninniane, her name in the
other Vulgate romances. Merlin met the girl in France, fell in love with
her, and taught her his magic. Viviane used the arts learned from Merlin
to entrap him in a fortress in the forest of Broceliande, where she
visited him frequently.
While love
and perhaps jealousy motivate Viviane in Merlin, in Tennysonís
Idylls, she is an evil, pagan witch. Tennyson makes the Lady of the
Lake a separate character. Embittered by her fatherís death at Arthurís
hands, she predicts with glee the death of Arthur and the Round Table.
She encourages Balin and Balan to kill each other. Once the lover of
King Mark of Cornwall, she sets her sights on Merlin after a failed
attempt to vamp Arthur. Merlin sees through her wiles but, as he is old
and starved for affection, wearily allows her to seduce him. As in
Merlin, he teaches her a spell that imprisons, and she traps him in
a tree. Later, she informs Mordred of the affair between Lancelot and
Guinevere, prompting Mordredís accusation and the eventual downfall of
Arthurís kingdom. [VulgMer, TennIK]

Vlask [Blaske, Blasque]

The King of Vlask
and Hungary was Sir Sagremorís father. After his death, the Kingís wife
(the daughter of Emperor Hadrian of Constantinople) re-married King
Brandegorre of Estrangorre. Vlask may refer to the Backa, a territory in
present day Serbia, on the border of Hungary. [VulgMer, Arthour]

Vodinus

The bishop of
London who reproved King Vortigern for his marriage to the Saxon
princess Rowena. Hengist, father of Rowena and leader of the Saxons,
killed Vodinus for this insult. [Boece]

Vortiger

A son of King
Vortigern, mentioned by Wace. He split with his father over his fatherís
relationship with the Saxons. Vortiger and the Saxon warrior Horsa
killed each other at the battle of Aylesford. He is probably identical
to Catigern, mentioned in other chronicles but not in Wace. [Wace]

A British king who
ruled several generations before Arthur, famed for bringing misery to
Britain by welcoming the Saxons. Bede is the first to mention Vortigern
by name, but the figure first appears in Gildasís De Excidio et
Conquestu Britanniae as the superbus tyrannus (generally
translated as ďproud tyrant,Ē but likely indicating the less pejorative
ďsupreme sovereignĒ) who employed the Saxons against the barbarian Picts
and nearly lost the island as a result.
Vortigern is
almost certainly a historical figure, though his name seems to be a
title, meaning ďhigh king,Ē rather than a personal name. Unfortunately,
the earliest source to recount his story in any detailóNenniusís
Historia Brittonumóis so tainted with legend as to be void of most
historical value. A compilation of references from less questionable
sources suggests an anti-Roman ruler who came to power in the second
quarter of the fifth century, during the chaos that befell Britain after
the Roman withdrawal. He seems to have been married to Sevira, the
daughter of Magnus Maximus. During his reign, he conflicted with St.
Germanus (whose first journey to Britain seems to have been in 429) and
with Ambrosius Aurelianus, an apparently pro-Roman general. This period
of British history is characterized by a weak British army facing
increasing Pictish raids, and Vortigern evidently decided to bolster his
military strength by hiring Saxon mercenaries. His plan backfired when
the Saxons grew in numbers and power, and began eyeing Britain for
themselves. Vortigernís enemy, Ambrosius, began the resistance against
the Saxons, and it may have been members of Ambrosiusís faction who
deposed and killed Vortigern, probably around 450. (This summary is
indebted to Jack Lindsayís Arthur and His Times.)
We find the
following legendary account of Vortigernís life in the chronicles of
Nennius, Geoffrey of Monmouth, and their successors:
The son of a
man named Fernvail, Vortigern became the earl of Gwent and had sons
named Vortimer, Catigern, Pascentius, and Faustas. Upon the death of
King Constantine of Britain, Vortigern urged the appointment of
Constans, Constantineís eldest son, as king, even though Constans was a
monk and was ill-suited to the position. After forcing the abbot of
Constansís monastery to release him, Vortigern elevated Constans to the
throne. Constans became a puppet king under Vortigernís hand. In time,
Vortigern became weary of ruling Britain by proxy, and he crafted to
have some Saxons (led by Gille Callaet) assassinate Constans. Vortigern
then put the British crown on his own head and established his court in
Canterbury. Constantineís other sons, Ambrosius and Uther, both infants,
fled Britain for Brittany.
Vortigern
was under constant strain for fear of barbarian (Pict and Irish)
incursions, a second Roman attack, or an invasion by the sons of
Constantine, who were rumored to be building an army in Brittany. To
beef up his armies, he welcomed the Saxons, led by Horsa and Hengist, to
Britain and employed their services in exchange for land. He married
Rowena, Hengistís daughter (in one source called Sardoine), and made
Hengist the ruler of Kent. Nennius states that he also took his own
daughter as a second wife, and had two children with her, leading the
British clergy (and St. Germanus) to condemn him.
Hengist
continued ferrying more and more warriors from Saxony to Britain, and by
the time Vortigern realized that the Saxons were planning to usurp him,
the British had become disgusted with his policies and had replaced him
with Vortimer, his son, who began a war against the Saxons. Within a
brief time, however, Rowena poisoned Vortimer and Vortigern reclaimed
the crown. The Saxons called for a peace treaty to be signed on the
plain of Ealing, but they betrayed the Britons, slaughtered Vortigernís
army, and took Vortigern captive, ransoming his life for more
territories.
Upon
acquiring his freedom, Vortigern fled to Wales and laid plans to built a
great fortress on Mount Snowdon to defend himself against his numerous
enemies. The construction of the fortress hit a snag: each night, all
work completed during the previous day disappeared. Vortigernís advisor,
Joram, suggested that he find a fatherless child, kill him, and sprinkle
his blood over the foundation of the castle. The kingís envoys found
such a childóAmbrosius (in Nennius) or Merlin (in Geoffrey)óin South
Wales. The child scoffed at Joramís suggestion and showed Vortigern the
true reason for his fortressís failure: a lake hidden beneath the
foundation. Within the lake, the child revealed a pair of dragons, one
white and one red. The dragons fought, and the white overcame the red,
which, the child prophesied, indicated Vortigernís imminent destruction.
Vortigern abandoned Snowdon and fled to his fortress, also called
Vortigern. Vortigern and his fortress were either destroyed by a holy
pillar of fire (in Nennius) or by the Greek fire of Ambrosius, who had
invaded Britain (in Geoffrey).
The only
significant variations to his character are in the Short Metrical
Chronicle and inThelwallís The Fairy of the Lake. In
the former, he rules in Britain after Uther Pendragon and he
ravages his own land. Arthur, a prince of Wales, drives Vortigern out of
Britain and becomes king himself. In Thelwall, he is the father of
Guinevere. As in Nennius, he had an incestuous lust for his daughter,
but his designs were thwarted by the Lady of the Lake. He was eventually
murdered by his own wife, Rowena, who loved Arthur. [Bede,
Nennius, GeoffHR, Wace, Layamon, ProsMer1,
Arthour, Short, Thelwall]

Vortigern2
[*Guorthegrin, Gwrtheyrnion]

A fortress built
by King Vortigern. Nennius says that it is in North Wales, but he later
places it in Dyfed, in South Wales. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls it
Ganarew. [Nennius, Thelwall]

Vortigernís Prophet

The name given to Merlin after his famous
series of prophecies before Merlin and his assembly at Mount Snowdon. [GeoffHR]

Voritmer

The eldest son of
King Vortigern and brother of Catigern, Faustas, and Pascentius. When
the lesser kings of Britain became disgusted with Vortigernís open-door
policy towards the Saxons, they placed Vortimer on the throne in his
fatherís place. Vortimer proved a much nobler king than his father. He
led Briton armies against Hengist and the Saxons, and fought four
battles against them, variously given by different authors at Darenth or
Derwent, at Episford or Aylesford, by the Inscribed Stone, along the
seashore in Kent, and at other unnamed locations. He pushed the Saxons
to the isle of Thanet, after which they surrendered and returned to
Germany. Nennius claims that Vortimer died from wounds received at the
fourth battle; however, Geoffrey says that Vortimer was poisoned by his
stepmother Rowena. Layamon says that during his reign, and at his
request, two bishopsóGermanus and Louisówere sent to Britain to restore
Christianity. He was buried in either Lincoln or London. On his death
bed, he had requested a monument be erected in his honor, but his barons
failed to carry out the request. His father Vortigern was restored to
the throne and, hearing of Vortimerís death, the Saxons returned in
force. [Nennius, GeoffHR, Wace, Layamon,
Pierre]

Vortipore [Vortiporous]

The third King of
Britain after Arthur, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. Vortipore
succeeded to the throne after the previous wicked king, Conan, fell off
a horse and broke his neck. Vortipore successfully battled off a wave of
Saxon invaders and reigned for seven years. Vortipore is a historical
figure, though the position attributed to him by Geoffrey is invented.
Gildas mentions him as a tyrannical king of Dyfed (Demetia), which he
apparently inherited from his father, Agricola. Vortipore had a
great-grandson named Arthur of Dyfed. (Chambers, 170). [Gildas,
GeoffHR, Wace]

Vridebrant

King of Scotland
during Utherís reign in Wolframís Parzival. An ally and cousin of
the infidel lord Isenhart, Vridebrant invaded the African kingdom of
Zazamanc when Isenhart died for the Queen of Zazamancís love. While in
Africa, his own lands were invaded by the kinsmen of Hernant, whom
Vridebrant had slain for the love of Herlinde. He had to return to
defend Scotland before the invasion of Zazamanc was complete, but he
left his lordsóDuke Hiuteger, Gaschier of Normandy, and Kaylet of
Hoskurastóbehind to finish the invasion. These men were defeated by
Percevalís father, Gahmuret. Vridebrant was also supported by warriors
from Greenland and by Morholt of Ireland. Some time after the war,
Vridebrant reconciled with the queen of Zazamanc. His father-in-law was
named Schiltunc. [Wolfram]

Vrikevreue [Urikeure]

The name of the
land around Rigomer castle in Ireland. It was guarded by three
knightsóthe Unarmed Knight, the White Knight, and the Knight of Triple
Arms, all of whom were defeated by Lancelot. [Merveil]

Vulcan

According to the
Vulgate Merlin, this Roman god of the forge fashioned
Marmiadoise, a sword owned by Hercules, Rions, and Arthur. [VulgMer]

Vulganus

A hideous
half-man, half-horse sea demon that terrorized the land of Averre. He
carried a Gorgonís head that turned people to stone. Queen Laudamie of
Averre enlisted Arthurís Sir Garel to slay the creature, and he was able
to do so after his friend, the dwarf king Albewin, stole the Gorgonís
head. After Garel killed Vulganus, Albewin stripped its skin and used it
to fashion an impenetrable suit of armor. See also
Ugly Appearance. [PleierG]

Vulteius Catellus [Catellus
Vulteius, Catelos, Catenois, Wylters]

A Roman senator
who became a war leader in the campaign against King Arthur. Vulteius,
with three others, was assigned by Lucius to liberate the Roman
prisoners being taken by Arthurís warriors to a prison in Paris. The
Britons won the battle. The Romans took to flight, and Vulteius Catellus
was killed. [GeoffHR, Wace, Layamon, VulgMer]

Vyllyers the Valiant

A Knight of the
Round Table related to Lancelot. When Lancelot and Guinevere were
accused of treason, Vyllyers pledged his support to Lancelot and helped
him to rescue Guinevere from the stake. In return for his support,
Lancelot made him the earl of Bťearn. After Arthurís death, Vyllyers
joined Lancelot in an abbey at Glastonbury, where he lived as a hermit
until Lancelotís death. After participating at Lancelotís interment at
Joyous Guard, Vyllyers returned to his own lands. [Malory]

Vyolette

A maiden rescued
from two giants by Guinglain, Gawainís son, in Thomas Chestreís
Lybeaus Desconus. She is called Clarie in Renaut de B‚gťís
Le Bel Inconnu. [ChestreLyb]

Copyright Christopher Bruce. All
Rights Reserved. Provided here by his kind permission. Layout of book modified
to fit the Celtic Twilight format.